Hang Tough(32)
“There’s something. If she gives me even half a sign that she’s moving in that direction? I’ll take it.”
“Don’t bite my head off when I ask this, okay? But it’s not just because she’s convenient?”
He shook his head. “Besides the fact she’s hot as hell, and smart, she’s funny. She’s uptight, yet she’s shy. We both keep finding reasons to break the rules and talk to each other.”
“What rules are you talking about?”
“Garnet’s rules. Jade and I wound up in a couple of yelling matches the first day she showed up. Miz G said she wouldn’t have that kind of behavior under her roof so she forbade us from ‘engaging’ with each other.”
Renner threw back his head and laughed.
“I don’t find it funny that she might be pitting me and Jade against each other for her own amusement.”
“Well, whatever Miz G is doin’ it ain’t workin’. It’s obvious Jade is into you.”
“How’d you pick up on that? She said like five words to you.”
“I spied on you, of course.”
Tobin rolled his eyes.
“I assume the Mud Lilies have met her?”
“No, they haven’t. I think that Garnet is hoarding her granddaughter, for lack of a better term.”
“Seems odd, though.”
“Odd is the very definition of them old gals.”
“True. So back to business. I’ve always understood doubling your salary wouldn’t be an incentive for you to stick around.” Renner locked his gaze to Tobin’s. “That said, if you suddenly find a reason for staying in Muddy Gap? The job is still yours. The job as is,” he clarified. “No promise that I’ll get my shit together anytime soon and utilize all this office space as I’d intended.”
“Thanks, Ren. I appreciate it.”
Renner tapped his pen on his desk. He wore that I’m about to level the boom expression.
“What else?”
“I know you’ve been friend-zoned a lot. I ain’t big on handing out advice, especially not advice on women, but there is one thing I wanted to mention.”
Tobin tried not to fidget. Or blush.
“You want Jade to see you as more than a friend? Don’t act like one. Don’t set yourself up to fail. That’s not to say be an asshole. Make it clear you’re interested in her. And the split second you know she feels the same interest for you? Fucking own it. Take control like it’s your due. You ain’t the kind of guy who’ll push her past a point she’s not ready for, but show her that you are ready for the next step. Make her believe that once she’s in your bed? She won’t ever want to get out. Be confident, man. Women dig that.”
“So you’re saying to pretend to be someone else?”
Renner shook his head. “I’m sayin’ you present yourself to be an easygoing, helpful, nice guy. That’s who you are. But that’s not all you are, T. Show her your intense side. She’ll know that’s part of you that only she gets to see. That is heady stuff for your woman, my friend. Be that polite, helpful, easygoing guy in public, but when you’re alone with her, rip that fucking mask off and be the man she wants ownership of.”
He laughed softly. Not out of nervousness, out of relief. His boss had hit it right on the fucking head—that elusive What am I doing wrong? that had kept him second-guessing himself.
No. More. “That is the single best piece of advice I’ve ever gotten, Renner.”
“Thank fuck you said that. I’da felt like an ass if you would’ve stood, tapped the desk and said ‘good talk.’”
“I’m gonna do that anyway. But only because I’m done spinning my wheels when it comes to this.”
Tobin reached the door, when Renner said his name.
“I owed you. Early on you made me question why I accepted that Tierney wasn’t meeting me halfway in our relationship. Demanding she put in equal effort because I deserved it changed everything for us. You deserve a chance to find what’s been missing for you.”
“Thanks.”
Chapter Nine
“GG. Why don’t you have any pictures of me around your house? I know Mom and Dad have sent them to you over the years.”
“What do you mean? I have every picture from the time you were a baby up until the ones we took last summer on Cape Cod.”
“So where are they?”
“I keep them in albums, so when I get lonely for you, I can flip back through them and remember all of our fun times.” GG frowned. “When your dad was a boy, I had pictures of him everywhere. Your grandpa called it the ‘shrine to Garwood Evans’ and I know it embarrassed Gar whenever his buddies came over.” Sadness clouded her eyes. “After I sold the house, I put all those pictures and school things in albums. I continued that tradition with you. Why?”